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Gas-fired power plants account for 42% of the US generation capacity

According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas-fired power plants accounted for 42% of the whole US installed and operating power generation capacity in 2016.



Natural gas-fired combined cycle (CCGT) plants amounted to 53% of the 449 GW of the total US gas-fired generation capacity in 2016. Combustion turbines and steam turbines accounted for 28% and 17% of gas-fired capacity, respectively. Combined-cycle plants have become more popular in the 1990s and made up a significant share of the newly added capacity between 2000 and 2005 in particular.



The EIA also reported that natural gas provided 34% of the total US electricity generation in 2016. The average capacity-weighted age of the US natural gas plants is 22 years, less than hydro (64 years), coal (39 years) and nuclear (36 years).



The natural-gas fired capacity is spread throughout the United States and every state has at least one natural gas plant. However, 38% of this capacity is located in 4 states, namely Texas, California, Florida and New York. Texas is the state with the most significant exposure to gas-fired generation with an installed gas-fired capacity amounting 69 GW. California and Florida have about 40 GW each.

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